I read the story Mouse Paint to the preschool artists, and we followed along with the adventures of the mice as they explored red, yellow, and blue paints and what colors they make when mixed. Each little artist was also a scientist measuring and mixing the paints and painting their sheets with the correct colors. Ex: Red Paint Pot + Yellow Paint Pot = Orange Paint Pot, Blue Paint Pot + Yellow Paint Pot = Green Paint Pot, and so on. They also practiced tracing the letters of each color with the appropriate color crayon. Then they used the colors they had mixed to paint more mice. Good work today!
To reinforce letter recognition, I held up the letters S, K, M, O, and B and asked the students what the letter was and whose name starts with that letter. The little artists got two copies of the first letter of their name to decorate with manipulatives: buttons, felt, pom poms, paper, markers, etc. Their fine motor skills are improving, as they picked up and glued the manipulatives. Then they glued their first name initials on a large sheet of paper, and I helped them write their names.
Each Preschooler got two valentine sheets that read "I love you to pieces!" to create with fabric pieces and other manipulatives that had to be arranged and glued onto the big heart. Then they had to write the name of the recipient: Dear _________ and write their name: Love, _________ at the bottom of each valentine. This art activity helps with fine motor skills and writing practice.
Preschool Studio Lunar New Year Horse Art Activity
Lesson Outline
In honor of the Lunar New Year: Year of the Horse, the Preschool artists colored and cut out their horse head and legs and the Happy Lunar New Year sign. We reviewed our letters and practiced our coloring and cutting skills.
To keep in theme with the snowy winter weather, the Preschoolers created a snow hat that they had to design, color, cut out, assemble, and glue together. Then they wrote each letter of their names on small squares, cut each one out, and arranged and glued them on the brim of the hat. This art project was great practice for fine motor skills development and letter writing.